warmth

I spent last night hanging out with my favorite ginger boys while their parents went out.  This was the view from the backyard as I sipped on my water and they played in the sandbox.  I have been dreaming of warm afternoons and sun for what seems like years.  I am just so happy longer days are finally here.  Happy Friday!

What's your favorite thing about Summer?

What were your favorite moments of the week?

Linking up with Aimee and Jess today!

until next time

wine tasting the weekend away

The husband and I met up with some friends of ours in North East, PA for a weekend of wine tasting.  I am not sure what I was expecting, but I was completely blown away by the wineries up there.  I guess Napa turned me into a bit of a wine touring and tasting snob, because I was not expecting much.  I think I assumed North East would be a lot like Erie, which in my opinion (and no offense to anyone who lives there) is pretty depressing.  But the quaint town of North East was just adorable.  I mean how can you not fall in love with a town surrounded by at least two dozen wineries? 

Since our day got off to a later start than had planned, the husband and I waited for our friends at South Shore Wine Company.  Apparently South Shore was Erie's first commercial winery, established in 1864.  As soon as you walk down the stairs and into the cellar, you can immediately sense the history.  The husband and I split 6 tastings (for $3 by the way - you should have seen the husband's face!) and bought a bottle to have with a bowl of broccoli and cheese soup while we waited for our friends to arrive. 

We met up with our friends at the hotel, and since we liked South Shore's environment so much we went again once our friends got there.  While the wine was good and you felt you were part of history just standing inside, no one was overly impressed with the staff there.  The pourer was not very friendly and seemed to be very annoyed to have to do her job.  And I am not sure about you, but the pourer really make the experience that much better. 

We initially intended on biking the 14 mile route from winery to winery, but since we got such a late start, we decided to just drive instead.  The weather was rather chilly and it ended up raining so it was a good thing we did.  Our next stop was Mazza Vineyards, which South Shore is under.  Apparently Mazza is not very good at hiring friendly people because we felt the same way about Mazza as we did South Shore, good wine, fun environment but the pourers were not very friendly.

Our last two stops were my favorite.  Sparkling Ponds Winery was just across the New York state border and you got as many tastings as you wanted for only $2.  We even got a food pairing with one of the wines!  As much as I love my wine, I pretty much only know the difference between sweet and dry and red and white.  That's as far as my knowledge goes, so most of the wines started to taste the same to me but this one was probably my favorite because the pourer was extremely friendly and knowledgeable.  You could tell she loves what she does. 

Next stop, and second favorite of mine, was Lakeview Wine Cellars.  Lakeview is run by a sweet older couple whose dream it was to always open their own winery one day.  So the man went back to school after he retired, and got a degree in wine making.  Which seems about the only thing worth going back to school for these days.  Just my opinion.  They were awesome and so friendly.  Even gave us some recommendations for places to eat and what not for that night.

Since I am 30 (31 on Friday), I was not up for a crazy night so I was completely content with dinner and a few drinks and chatting over a few glasses of wine before hitting the hay by 11.  Like I said, I am 30.  And I think everyone was pretty happy about turning in early.  We all woke up pretty refreshed the next day and since we all brought our bikes (but hadn't used them yet), we decided to head on over to Presque Isle to bike the 12.6 mile loop.  It was a perfect day for it, even though my butt is still telling me different.  Before we headed home, we went to The Tap House for lunch and bloodys.  Perfect end to a great weekend.  I am pretty sure if we were closer to home, those bloodys would have turned into a few more and a Sunday Funday. 

How was your weekend?
Do you like wine?
Do you close to any wineries?

Linking up with Shanna and Melissa today!

until next time 

Cali Adventures {Carmel & 17 Mile Drive}

Since my mind is still on vacation mode especially since we are leaving tonight! I thought I would stick with the beach-y theme and continue to share our Cali adventures.  This time, our trip to Carmel.  

If you ever want to feel fancy, just walk around Carmel.  It is probably the nicest ocean view towns I have ever been to.  But holy is it cold and windy.  Surprisingly there were actually people laying out in their swimsuits.  Which might explain all of the British flag swim suits because who else would lay out in 60s and wind but those silly Brits. 

We then took a drive up the coast on 17 Mile Drive.  Seriously some of the most beautiful views of the ocean I have ever seen.  And don't even get me started on the homes that we drove past.  With views like the ones below, I can only speculate to how much those bad boys cost.

Although we had hoped to get up to Santa Cruz, once we hit traffic on the highway to get there we were all sick of being in the car again so we headed back to 80 degrees and sun.  We hit up the town in search of some good drinks and fun atmosphere.  Since Cider was calling our name, the husband Yelped pubs in the area and found The Rose & Crown English Food & Ale House.  We stayed until 10ish then went back to M's apartment, had some more to drink over good conversation.  

Reminded me of my adventures in Scotland & Ireland. 

Palo Alto at night. 

And of course, a Friday post wouldn't be a Friday post without a little #backthatazzup action:)

Linking up with Whitney today. 

Until next time

Cali Adventures {Elizabeth Gamble Garden}

Continuing the recap from our Cali Adventures; 

Our wine purchases

M's sassy cat, Biscuit. 

This used to be where the Borders was.  Cannot believe no one has purchased it yet. 

Anyway, we got back mid morning from our adventures in Napa Valley with hopes of checking out Santa Cruz but decided against it because no one wanted to get back in the car after dropping M off at her apt for her nap/sleep before her night shift that night.  Instead we decided to check out a little more what Palo Alto had to offer so we googled (you can't tell but 'googled' is underlined in red, I cannot believe it isn't in the recognized yet) free things to do in the area and it recommended Elizabeth Gamble Gardens.  It was a short walk through the nice neighborhoods of Palo Alto.  Our only mistake was that we didn't bring a bottle of our wine we purchased the day before to drink while we sat under the trees among the beautiful and colorful flowers.  It would have been a lot cooler if we had.  Next time. 

Lemon trees everywhere. Imagine, unlimited access to lemons for my gin & sodas!

We were starting to get a little famished so we hit up The Old Pro so that the husband could watch the Penguins play and KDKA and I could have a Bloody.  YUM. 

Loved the different framed Sports Illustrated mag covers on the wall.  

We left after the 1st period.  While the husband watched the rest of the game at M's, KDKA and I hung outside on M's patio, drank wine, and played UNO after M left for her night shift.  It was rather uneventful day but was much needed after our first 2 days of adventures.  

*linking up with Tori and Melissa today!

Until next time

cali adventures {big basin}

As mentioned in my last cali adventure post, miraculously none of woke up with a hangover for our planned 10+ mile hike through Big Basin National Park.  And let me tell you, if I had been hungover, I cannot imagine how I would have survived the windy ass roads to get to Big Basin.  It would have been a lot like that time when we were driving to our resort in Colorado from the Denver airport when I was in the 6th grade and as we were twisting and turning up the mountains I said to my dad (who was driving at the time) "I think I am gonna be si..." I did not get the chance to finish saying the ck before I blew chunks all over a family friend's game boy and games.  I don't remember feeling embarrassed or even anyone in the car getting mad at me but I do remember feeling like a million bucks.  

So, I guess it could have been a lot worse.  For everyone.  Although, I did immediately regret eating my leftovers from the delicious diner breakfast I had before we left.  

Anywayyyyy, I made my sister pull over twice to walk it off it a little and get some fresh air (another thing they don't tell you about turning 30 is that motion sickness will get worse).  So as we pulled into the parking lot, M quickly stopped the car, I got out and laid down on the sidewalk (with the below photo as my view) while M and the husband went to the office/check-in area to register us.  

And if there was not a more worse time to be feeling sick.  M came back talking about how cute the ranger guy was who checked them in.  

Cute Ranger guy had M put a piece of paper on the dashboard of M's car so cute ranger guy and his friends knew where to look just in case we didn't return by night fall.  Comforting.  Luckily M remembered her first-aid kit she had in her trunk which clearly made us all feel a little bit better. 

Off we go! 

Have you ever visited a Redwood forest park before?  If not, add it to your bucket list because they are beyond amazing.  If you ever want to feel insignificant in the grand scheme of things this is the place to be.  But in a good way.  Extremely humbling. 

I have a thing for bridges in the middle of a forest. 

Me standing in a hollowed out vagina  vajayjay shaped hole in one of the trees.  And can I please take a minute to let you know I had to Google how to spell vajayjay and do you know what came up?  If you guessed vajazzle, you would be right.  W. T. F. 

Some fun info M thinks she remembers hearing about the Redwoods that are bunched together like the ones I above; apparently when the older, larger trees start to feel threatened in anyway they communicate to the younger,smaller ones to protect it by shielding it from whatever it feels threatened by.  So Avatar of them. 

He's so little and tiny. 

I loved how these ones twisted at the top. 

Stopping for mid hike snack.  

Stopping so M could pop some Advil for her knees.  T.G.F.F.A.K. (thank goodness for the first-aid kit). 

Hey M, whatcha lookin' at? 

Next to the building where we registered there is a cross section of a really old Redwood.  See all of those lines in the one below?  Count those and that is how old it is.  Apparently it goes way back the height of the Mayan Civilization and when Mohammed is born. 

We completed the 10+ mile loop way before the sun set.  M showed me cute ranger guy.  I thought she should give him her number.  She guessed she couldn't be the first to give him her number.  Probably true.  What did she have to lose?  The possibility of having adorably cute outdoorsy ranger kids.  Just my opinion. 

As goes with spending too much together, a long hike, and blood sugar dipping way low we started to get a little cranky so we stopped in Saratogga (the first town we hit after the long winding roads to the park and now I kinda wish we spent more time in) for Mexican.  As you can see we housed the chips, salsa and quac.    

After filling our bellies we headed to SFO to pick up our cousin, KDKA. 

We had some time to kill so we headed to the cell phone lot and obviously watched the Pens game on M's phone. 

linking up with Shanna, Sara, and Melissa. 

until next time